In my previous blog post, The Top 5 Things to Do BEFORE You Receive Your Order, I told you all about what I did before my product arrived to help boost my results.  This time, I’m going to take you through my first month.  I’ll tell you how I guaranteed my results, and what results I DID get in that first month.

I took photos of everything

Despite being an introvert, I knew that I wanted to document my progress.  Partially because this meant more accountability, and partially because I knew that this time I was going to be successful and I wanted to have a story to tell.  My hope is that these blog posts, and my sharing of my progress has inspired someone else to start/continue their own journey.  Looking back through the photos I took when I first started, even today for this blog post, gives me an immeasurable amount of pride. Even if my weight loss were to stop right now (which it hasn’t), I would still feel insanely proud of what I have accomplished, and how far I have come.

I took photos every day of the delicious shakes/snacks I was making.

I committed to my golden rule: NO cheating.

Back when I began, I wasn’t an employee here at Nutracelle.  I was just a regular customer wanting to lose weight!  At the time I was a Team Leader for a call center that dealt with mobile phones.  I worked shift work, and if you’ve ever worked in the call center world… you know that call centers breed idle eating.  What else is there to do while waiting for a call? You snack.  Vending machines were always just a few steps away, and we were even located next door to a pizza place where we received discounts.  Not exactly the atmosphere for success when you’re looking to lose weight. 

I told myself that I had invested in this product, and therefore in myself.  I set a strict no-cheat rule.  I wasn’t going to do my previous habits of having a “weekly” cheat meal.  Those cheat meals always set the tone for an entire weekend of cheating, which lead to start-over Monday, and the vicious cycle continued.

That was my first big post-order-being-received decision. NO cheating for the first 30 days. I really wanted to give this new lifestyle everything I could, so that I could see what kind of results I would see without wavering from my plan.

My Plan

Back then, Nutracelle didn’t offer our 7-Day weight loss guide.  There was no plan laid out as the company was brand new and just getting up and running.  However, the plan that IS the 7-Day Kickstart is exactly the plan that I have always followed. Shake for breakfast, shake for lunch, and a low-carb, high-protein meal for supper.

I decided on day one that I would weigh myself every day.  I knew I wanted as much accountability as I could possibly get, and what better way to remind yourself of your goals than to weigh in daily.  I have heard some people say that they find it hard on their emotions to weigh in daily, but I have found even after all this time, it’s the best way for me to stay on track.  It’s a part of my morning routine now.  However, I do not let the number on the scale be my only defining metric for success.  If the scale number is up (as it does do that), but my clothes are looser… clearly, I’m still doing something right.  The scale is just a daily reminder that my day-before decisions may not have been the right ones.  It will tell me immediately if I over ate, went over my carbs, etc.  I record my weight weekly, on my designated “Weigh-in Day” which is Wednesday.

Left: Post 15 lbs of weight loss, March 2016.  Right: 105 lbs down, Nov 2017.

I took it with me – everywhere!

I remember packing my shakes for work and getting a lot of attention from my co-workers.  No negative attention, thankfully.  I was always very shy about my weight, which seems silly once you think about it.  Not talking about it didn’t hide the fact that I was visually morbidly obese.  Starting Nutracelle and bringing my shakes with me everywhere started opening up a lot of conversations about my weight that I normally would never have been comfortable talking about.  I knew that being public about my new lifestyle would only help keep me more accountable, so I gritted my teeth through the uncomfortable conversations and the result was worth it, tenfold.  I now had a team of people that saw me daily, who knew I was focusing on a healthier lifestyle.  If I didn’t have my shake, they asked where it was.  If I came in with food I had made from home, they asked what it was and congratulated me for sticking to my plan.

Those were my at-work people.  Then at home, I had my NutraTalk family. I joined NutraTalk as soon as I placed my order, and I’m so incredibly thankful that I did.  The people that I’ve met throughout this journey through NutraTalk have been irreplaceable.  They’ve offered support and suggestions where otherwise I may have faltered.  I’ve created new friendships with people that are on their own journey as well.  We celebrate our successes together, and we make a game plan to conquer our speedbumps. 

Along with that support, I have my close friends and family. I have an incredible group of people that are always ready to try new recipes, to keep low-carb snacks around, and just generally give me “that look” if they think I’m too far off my plan.  No one is prouder of me than my family, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them and their never-ending support.

My results

Okay, so now you know the plan I followed. (Click the link above if you want to check it out), you know that I took my shakes with me everywhere, you know I made sure that I had a support group, and you know that I told myself I would NOT cheat. Not once. So how did I do?

I’m about to share with you something I’ve never actually shared with anyone.  Even to this day, I’ve struggled with telling people how heavy I was when I started.  I’m not sure why.  The number itself held so much power over me, that no matter how far away I get from it… it still looms over me. 

• My starting weight was 414.4 lbs.  I had to use two scales to weigh myself when I started, and it crushed me. Though as much as it hurt me, it also motivated me.  I knew that my first goal was to get down to one scale.
• 7 days after I started, I weighed myself and I had lost 4.4 pounds.  It sounds like a tiny number, especially in comparison to what I had left to lose, but I was so excited to see the scale going in the right direction.  I remember thinking, “Maybe this WILL work…”
• 14 days after I started, I had lost 10 pounds in total.  Again, I started to feel even more hopeful.  That was two weeks with consistent losing.
• By the time I hit my one-month anniversary, I had lost just over 15 pounds and subsequently I was using only ONE scale to weigh myself. I was elated.

I was so happy with my results, I remember getting that butterfly feeling in my stomach and feeling my eyes water.  I was really doing this. I was losing weight. 

Did my scale consistently drop that month? No. It didn’t.  I had a lot to learn throughout that month, and though I didn’t “cheat” I did learn that while eating low-carb, it’s not a free-for-all.  I had to learn how to re-portion my meals, and how to deal with my newly awoken metabolism.  I was hungry, whereas before I was never hungry.  I was trying to force myself to drink more water and wasn’t consistent in that.  It was, and is, a huge learning curve.

But I was doing it. I am doing it.

My one month comparison. Left: Feb 2016, Right: March 2016.

I started hearing compliments from the people that saw me daily. “You’re losing weight!” “Your face is thinner!” “You need to get a new shirt, that one’s too big!” etc.  They made me feel so awkward, but so proud at the same time.  I had close friends join with me as a result of love of my shakes and low-carb protein snacks, and those friends have had their own incredible journeys. 

Snacks, snacks, snacks!

One of the most common questions that I hear from new members of the Nutrafamily is, “Can you have snacks? If so, what can I have to snack on?” I thought it may be helpful to list my top 5 Protein Treats snacks, as well as my top 5 non-Protein-Treats snacks.

Top 5 Protein Treats Snacks

• Protein Pudding
• This is an amazing recipe for anyone that loves pudding. You can make this with any of our protein flavors, not just chocolate.  Enjoy thick, creamy, insanely filling pudding that doesn't come with all of the added sugar of store-bought puddings.
• Coconut Macaroons
• I've made these more times than I can count.  I throw in different sugar-free flavorings each time to keep it fun.  Cherry, orange, strawberry, lime, etc.  The options are endless.  Not a fan of the flavors? Just use your protein! Vanilla, Chocolate or even Mocha flavored macaroons are equally as delicious.
• No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Balls
• In case you haven't noticed a trend, I really like no-bake treats! They're so easy, and so quick to make. These lemon cheesecake balls have been such a great way to curb cravings and to enjoy a nice chilled treat on a warm day.
• Jalapeno Cheddar Balls
• These are the perfect option when you're craving restaurant-style appetizers.  I make a huge batch and keep 'em in the fridge for a few days.  They're super delicious, with a bit of a kick from the jalapeno. I've also experimented a few times with dipping them in homemade cheese sauces, too. SO yummy.
• Crepes
• It may seem silly to have crepes listed here, but they're SO versatile that they can be a number of different snacks.  Use our Natural to make them plain and they double as nacho chips, or even just like potato chips.  Make them with Vanilla and roll them up with some cream cheese frosting in the middle for a sweet treat.  You can use them for wraps, for egg rolls, for homemade perogies as one of our customers has done, etc.  The options are seriously endless. They've become a staple in my life because they're so fast, and only have 3 ingredients! How much easier could it be?

 Top 5 'Other' Snacks

• Cheese chips
• These couldn't be easier.  Shredded cheese in a pile, baked at 350 for 5-6 minutes.  Let them cool and they become crispy!  Perfect for dipping, or add some taco seasoning and make your own nacho-flavored cheese chips.
• Deli meat
• I love deli meat! Turkey, chicken, ham, etc.  They're all low carb, low sugar, and super easy to grab for a quick snack. Pepperoni sticks are also a great go-to, though be mindful of the carb count.
• Eggs
• Eggs are also another incredible side to keep around.  Whether you're hard-boiling them and keeping them handy for a quick snack, or scrambling them with some Natural for a quick snack... they're equally delicious.  I love egg salad as a side, or just as a snack on its own!
• Veggies
• This is a pretty standard one for any healthy lifestyle.  I love keeping cucumber, green peppers, asparagus, celery, in the fridge for a quick snack.  I love them by themselves, but if I add a dip I always either make my own with the Protein Treats recipe found here, or I buy a store-bought one and add Natural Nutralean into it.
• Nuts & Seeds

• This is one that has taken me the longest to figure out portions and carb counting. Sometimes I crave that sweet and salty crunch, but I also know that there are certain nuts that come with a high calorie, high carb count.  Raw almonds are the best to go for me, and pre-hulled sunflower seeds.  Cashews and peanuts are higher in carbs and tend to bring more calories.

Up next...

Join me for the next installment of my journey.  I'm going to tell you more about my struggles that I still deal with today, and how I work on overcoming any hurdles that stand in my way.

Thanks for reading!